Psalms 117

General context

The psalm has two verses. It calls all nations and all people to praise the Lord, and gives the reason: his merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures for ever. It ends with Praise ye the Lord.

Cited passages: Psalms 117:1, Psalms 117:2

Psalms 117 (KJV)

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

This source prints no superscription; the psalm is two verses. The addressees are all ye nations and all ye people, and the speakers are us, whom the text does not name; the nations are asked to praise the Lord for kindness the psalm says is toward us rather than toward them. No place, person or event is given. There is no Selah. Romans 15:11 quotes verse 1 as Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

Cited passages: Psalms 117:1, Psalms 117:2, Romans 15:11

Literary context

The whole psalm is one command and one reason. Praise is said three times in two verses, twice as a command in verse 1 and once in the closing Praise ye the Lord, and the reason is introduced by For. Two qualities are named, merciful kindness and truth, and each is measured differently, one as great and the other as for ever. The scope widens and narrows within a single sentence: all nations are told to praise, but the kindness is toward us.

Cited passages: Psalms 117:1, Psalms 117:2

Key moments

1. All ye nations (Psalms 117:1). Every nation and people is called to praise the Lord.
2. Merciful kindness toward us (Psalms 117:2). The reason for praise is the Lord's great kindness to the speakers.
3. Truth for ever (Psalms 117:2). The Lord's truth is said to endure for ever, and the psalm closes in praise.

For reflection

All nations are told to praise the Lord for a kindness the psalm says was shown toward us. What would it mean for outsiders to praise a mercy they are not said to have received?